By Tamashin
Here is part 3 of Tamashin‘s article about Joćo Pessoa. To read the previous parts click the relevant links at the end of the article.
We visited as many beaches as possible because we could. No better reason, I suppose, though I was looking for somewhere which would be perfect for the children. Several beaches fitted the bill, particularly Intermares and Poēo to the North of JP (litoral Norte). A few little restaurants, a beach bar here and there, there is beach front housing and in some areas a few six storey buildings but it doesn't feel oppressive (yet).
However, if you really want isolation the beaches to the litoral South are much better. We took a drive to one such beach called Barra do Garau e Bela, taking care not to drive onto the beach but park just off the track. With the exception of one fisherman about 500m away we were the only ones there. It was, so far, a wonderful way to spend Christmas day.
It was spoiled by several 4x4 tour vehicles roaring down the track and onto the beach. They raced along the beach into the distance and that was it, short and sweet. I took a walk along the beach to see where they had gone. After sometime I found all the vehicles and many more besides parked up around some natural lagoons in the sand. There were a few trailer bars and BBQs but everyone appeared to be acting responsibly with the litter. We had a 4x4 and I felt it would be good for the children to swim in the lagoons.
So off I went back to the beach entrance for family and car. As I walked back, a Pajero, passed me and I thought "if he can do it I can". The family loaded up we set off for the lagoons. In the back of my mind was the little voice which was saying "stay there, everyone is enjoying themselves". I wish I had listened. I drove about eight metres on to the sand and sunk. I had no idea what had happened. The car was in 4x4 mode and I was following the tracks of the other vehicles but here I was sunk right up to the axles. When I got out of the car, my door was just above the sand, I looked behind me to see a dark line of seaweed and then worse it looked like the tide was coming in. The family out of the car, I took a food carton lid and scooped in a frenzy at the sand below the car. I really needed a small digger but I was making some headway. My wife asked if she could take a photo, then thought better of it. The tide was indeed coming in and not more than ten metres from the car. I had managed to clear a great deal of sand and drive the car forward a bit only for it to get stuck again even closer to the waters edge.
When it seemed like we were going to loose our car to the incoming tide, I heard the roar of a big pickup behind me. A truck load of party goers stopped next to me. They assessed the problem, raced off for a rope and then after several attempts pulled our car out of the sand.
Unbelievably, I drove it round and back towards the beach entrance only for it to get stuck again. The men were very patient with me. When we freed the car again, one of the others drove it around and took it off the beach. The driver took me to one side and explained why I had sunk. There was too much air in the tyres and I had been driving too slow on the sand. He was a member of the Paraiba 4x4 club to whom I will be eternally grateful. There was a sickening feeling looking back to where the car was stuck as the tide had covered the spot in less than 45 minutes. There was sand everywhere and I am still finding sand even when I think I have given the car a thorough cleaning.
There are plenty of places to hire a car, especially on the sea front. Daily rates were R$56 for a Ford Ka to R$150 for a Fiat Doblo. There are a huge variety of colours to choose from such as grey, grey or grey and with a bit of sweet talking you probably could get a grey one so as not to be too conspicuous. You can even hire a buggy and driver to take you to all the tourist hot spots, not just in Joćo Pessoa but to the outback of Paraiba called the Sertao.
Having our own car gave us greater independence, though. Driving North to Cabedelo, taking the ferry across to Lucena and then taking a long leisurely drive to the baia of Traiēao (bay of Treason) the journey was mostly on asphalt roads but even the few estradas da terra we encountered were well compacted.
I think this is the point for me, there are lots of things to see and do for all ages and Joćo Pessoa is a good base to drive from. Cities like Natal are only 180 kms away, though I met people from Natal and Fortaleza who preferred the calm of JP to spend their holidays. So it was with several Carioca families too. One man perhaps paid the ultimate compliment by saying that JP was just as he remembered Rio when he was a child.
Part 4 next week...
Tamashin is a retired civil engineer who first came to Brazil in 1993 to help build a community centre for street children in Rio. He now lives in Minas Gerais with his Brazilian wife and children.
Previous articles by Tamashin:
Around Brazil: Joćo Pessoa Part 3
Around Brazil: Joćo Pessoa Part 2
Brazil: The Great North Road Part 6
Brazil: The Great North Road Part 5
Brazil: The Great North Road Part 4
Brazil: The Great North Road Part 3
Brazil: The Great North Road Part 2
Brazil: The Great North Road Part 1
|
